Friday, January 23, 2009

The Different Causes Of Dandruff

By Jille Kelly

Dandruff is a problem that plagues many people all over the world. It is a common hair condition that generally arises from itchy or oily scalp. There are other medical conditions that can directly or indirectly lead to the same problem. However, due to the many possible causes, it is often difficult to diagnose the source of the condition.

Treatments are plentiful, and usually specific to the cause and problem. It is therefore crucial to find out what the exact cause of your dandruff problem is, before a quality treatment method can be provided.

Having an itchy scalp is the number one reason why many people have dandruff. Unfortunately, this in itself can be caused by different reasons. If your scalp is too dry, it often gives you an urge to scratch it due to being irritated by dust or dirt.

With a scalp that is too oily, the situation can be ten times worse. The oil will cause dust particles from air to clump together which promotes germs and bacteria to accumulate. Not only will dandruff result, but widespread infection of the scalp can lead to other serious problems.

Being too clean has its own problems. If you wash or treat your scalp too many times, expect the skin to suffer from one of the two common conditions. Too much treatment can dry the skin, while shampoo that has oily ingredients might actually cause more harm than good.

You might not even be safe from the weather that you live in. With hot weather comes a lot of perspiration. This is a major contributing factor to those with oily scalp experiencing common dandruff issues.

There is also an yeast-like fungus that can lead to this embarrassing hair problem. Malassezia is actually present in most individual's hair. But if it is not controlled, they will thrive in the oily hair follicles. This leads to layers of dead skin cells and another form of dandruff.

There are other medical conditions like psoriasis that may contribute to dandruff. It is therefore a safer route to prevent a situation that allows the problem to manifest itself. For those who already suffer from it, seek help immediately from a dermatologist to find out what the best treatment is. - 15252

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